Page 66 of Collided

He chuckles and I have the urge to smash his fucking face. “This is interesting.”

Hope and Marie stand next to my car engrossed in a conversation that makes Hope laugh and hold her book tightly to her chest. She looks even more beautiful up close.

I gesture to Sebastian to get out, but he leans back in the seat. I swear if he doesn’t get out I’ll kill him with my bare hands.

“Sebastian—”

“Fine, okay. No need to growl at me.”

He opens the door. Marie bends down and kisses him, then turns to me.

“Hi.” She waves at me with a grin.

“Tell your boyfriend to get his ass out of my car,” I order.

Marie turns to Sebastian, who whispers something to her that makes her smile big.

Sebastian steps out and shakes hands with Hope which makes me want to punch him. He could have waved or smiled. No need totouchher. They start talking when I beep the horn, and he bends down and grins. I actually hate him.

“Hope get in the car,” I say in a tense voice.

She gets inside quickly. She puts her bag on the floor and her book on her lap.

I notice her red cheeks that make her look so fucking pretty.

My hands tighten around the steering wheel. I try to extinguish the feelings burning inside of me. But when I see her, my stomach curls in a weird feeling. What the actual fuck is this girl doing to me?

“Hi,” she says with a hint of a smile.

“Hi,” I say looking into her beautiful eyes.

“Um, thank you for last night, and also for picking me up.” She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and peeks up at me.

My palms turn warm.

Is it fucking hot in here?

Why is it fucking hot in here?

Summer is over. Why the fuck am I sweating?

I turn on the ignition and pull out of the school.

“It’s nothing,” I grumble.

“It’s something,” she says sweetly.

That fucking smile. I swear I’d do anything for it.

“Are you hungry?”

Hope is so skinny it makes me want to feed her. I haven’t seen her under her clothes—I imagine it sometimes—but I bet she’s all bones and no skin. Something about it unsettles me because I know how it ended when I ignored it.

“No.” She fiddles with her fingers in her lap.

I know right away she’s nervous, so I make the decision. “I’m gonna grab food from the diner.”

At the station, I make the usual order and pay for it. When we pick the bags from the next station I put hers on her lap and mine on the back seat. I knew she wouldn’t eat unless it was for me too. So, I did it for her. Which is odd. I’ve never done things out of kindness or care for anyone except for my friends and sister.

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